There is a deep concentration to the color which is showing a little age in a very slight brown shift. The pink to clear rim is narrow leading back to the deep garnet color in the center.
Aromas of plum, blackberry, licorice and some smoke. The aromas are big (medium to be fair) but give me the sense they could develop some more. I am going to let is air a little and come back to see how that affects the aromas. The bottle was given to me by a co-worker and it isn't likely I am going to stumble across another one anytime soon so I may not know the true future potential realized by this wine.
The flavors are a bit more diverse with blackberry being the predominant fruit flavor, supported by flavors of pencil lead, tobacco and black pepper. It is dry with moderate acidity, and a long clean finish.
The tannins are present and fine grained, but not super assertive. I get a little hit of funk on the finish.
This is not an everyday drinker for me, but in truth I have rarely sipped Cab Franc just because it was there. That can and will change, but for now this is a pairing wine and something I would seek out for the classic red wine course, beef! It has the heft of an average (or a bit above average) Cabernet Sauvignon with softer tannins and a mix of flavors that will handle the same fare.
I was provided this bottle by a co-worker after a conversation about a Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc I had tried and how the number of varietal bottlings of this grape in the US is still small enough to make them somewhat hard to find. I am grateful for the gift and only hope what I can dig out of my homemade collection as a thank you will measure up!
With my upcoming trip to Virginia for #WBC11 looming I took a quick look through the wine lists of a a few of the participating wineries and found some Cab Franc. I also found that the Monticello AVA in Virginia is specifically listed as on of the domestic regions where Cab Franc is produced in the Wikipedia entry about the grape. I hope to take a few more for a spin in the next few weeks!
Cheers!
Jason
1 comment:
Interesting. I really like seeking out a good Cab Franc, notwithstanding Miles' comment about it in Sideways. ;)
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